Blackfeet Songs

Our Home's at Winnataska

Tune: "Our Home's in Alabama" by Alabama
Submitted By: Rean Campbell

This place called Winnataska
Is where we make our home
While we all live here
You'll never be alone
We see camps beauty shining
In all you say and do
We see her maiden spirit
In every one of you
Hillside in the evening
And nights at Wayside Cross
Memories of the friendships
Made here will not be lost
We work to keep camp going
And Blackfeet is our name
No matter where we go in life
One thing will stay the same.

Chorus:

Our home's at Winnataska
No matter where we lay our head
Yes, our home's at Winnataska
And it's here we have been led.

What keeps us going,
We don't really know
Sure can't be the money,
Lord knows we're always broke.
Could it be the satisfaction
Of the smiles upon your face?
Or maybe it's the pleasure
Of being part of this place.
It's the campers that we care for
So far above the rest,
And it's for every one of you
That we all do our best.
The leaders try so hard
To make your day go well,
And in this task they never seem
To ever, ever fail.
Comanches keep our spirits up
When we are feeling down.
It really is a pleasure
Having them around.
We find it hard to face the fact
That we must leave some day.
We think that you'll agree with us
When we stop and say:

(Repeat Chorus)

Yes it's here we have been led
Winnataska's where we've been led
Winnataska is our home.

Kiss The Mother Earth (1973, Robby Robinson and Matt Callihan)

Tune: "Thunder Road"

OOOWAOOO
Wanna' tell a story, wanna' tell it all
Take you all the way from Wayside down to Stockham Hall.
Now listen here directors and
Comanches too.
If it weren't for Blackfeet
There would be no camp for you.

Chorus:

There were blue skies, blue skies
framed the sun above
And the sun that shines within
Us radiates with christian love
And there were Blackfeet, Blackfeet
Kiss the Mother Earth
The pine tree is our spirit and
The black soil is our birth.

OOOWAOOO

Here in 1918 when the camp was formed
Winnataska Spirit from Kelly's Creek was born.
She fills the hearts of many
Whom her past have trod
With love and truth and honor and
Fellowship with God.

(Repeat Chorus)

OOOWAOOO

The Blackfoot tribe was born
Here, and remains today.
Working hard to make this camp
The best in every way.
Although we shall leave here our
Spirits will remain
Echoing throughout the years,
Proclaiming this refrain.

(Repeat Chorus)

The pine trees are our spirit and the black soil is our birth.

See Us Walking (1974, Matt Callihan)

Tune: "The Pilgrim, Chapter 33" by Kris Kristofferson
Submitted by: Rean Campbell

See us walking 'round these campground
In our dirty boots and jeans
Working, sweating, going all the time
Serving Winnataska
Oh how much that means
And holding Christian principles in mind
The spirit of this land out here
The rocks and water falls
The air, the soil, the trees and Kelly's Creek
How can we stay away from here when all of these things call
We love this place and that's why we're Blackfeet

Chorus:

Winnataska
We'll work for you
We will give you all we can and we will
Sing for you this song
Winnataska
When we leave you
We will leave filled with the spirit
That has made you live so long.

No matter how unsavory the job that we must do
No matter how the sun may beat and burn
Although our work is never done, we
always pull it through
For if there's only one thing that we've learned
It's that through our work we show how much
We love each one of you
Each Comanche, leader, camper that we meet
You're the most important part of
Winnataska's spirit true
We love you all and that's why we're
Blackfeet.

(Repeat Chorus)

We will leave filled with the spirit that has made you live so long.

The Blackfoot Work Song or Early

Tune: "Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill"
Submitted by: Rean Campbell

Early in the morning at the break of day.
The Blackfoot tribe is on its way
We work all day till the setting sun
A Blackfoot's work is never done.

Chorus:

So work you Blackfeet, work
Work ye Blackfeet, work
For its sweet and strain in the sun
and in the rain
There never is a work in vain
So work ye Blackfeet, work

We're up at dawn, we're on the go
A Blackfoot's pace is never slow
So just call on us to do things for you
There isn't much that we can't do.

(Repeat Chorus)

And sweat, and strain, and work, and play.

The Showplace of the South (1972, Robby Robinson, Matt Callihan, and Herbie Carroll

Tune: "Church in the Wildwood"
Submitted by: Rean Campbell

There's a hut on the hill up by Chico
The Blackfoot hut is its name
No one but the Blackfeet can go there
Campers, leaders, and directors must refrain.

Chorus:

Stay away, away, away, away...
Away from the hut up by Chico
It's the only place in camp
Where we're free
We love it even better than Wayside
It's the finest place that ever could be.

There hare holes in the floor and the ceiling
And the walls, they are all falling down.
The fleas and ticks and rats won't come see us
For they know that the smell will knock them down.

(Repeat Chorus)

If you're ever invited to visit, make no criticism about
That dear hold hut up by Chico,
For we call it the Showplace of the South.

(Repeat Chorus)

When we come to the end of camping season
We must leave our humble abode.
though the campers don't know it, the reason
Is that we have a stopped-up commode.
(Repeat Chorus)

Non-hut related song that the Blackfeet sing.

Dear Abby

Submitted by: Rean Campbell

Dear Abby, Dear Abby
My feet are too long
My hair's falling out
And my rights are all wrong
My friends they all tell me
I've no friends at all
So write me a letter or give
me a call,
Signed, Bewildered.

Bewildered, Bewildered you have no complaint
You are what your are and
you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster and listen
Up good, stop wishing for bad luck and knockin' on wood.

Dear Abby Dear Abby
My fountain pen leaks
My wife she just left me
And my kids are all freaks
Any side I get up on is the
Wrong side of bed,
If it weren't so expensive I'd wish I were dead.
Signed, Unhappy

Unhappy, Unhappy you have no complaint
You are what your are and
you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster and listen
Up good, stop wishing for bad luck and knockin' on wood.

Dear Abby Dear Abby you won't believe this
My stomach makes noises whenever I kiss
My boyfriend he tells me it's all in my head,
My stomach it tells me to write you instead!
Signed Noisemaker.

Noisemaker, Noisemaker, you have no complaint
You are what your are and
you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster and listen
Up good, stop wishing for bad luck and knockin' on wood.

Dear Abby Dear Abby, now who would of thought
That me and my girlfriend would ever get caught
A sittin' in the back seat just shooting the breeze,
My hair up in curlers and his pants to his knees.
Signed, Just Married.

Just Married, Just Married, you have no complaint
You are what your are and
you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster and listen
Up good, stop wishing for bad luck and knockin' on wood.

Signed, Dear Abby.